
PS 3061 
.T5 P77 
Copy 1 


























' ’ - •'!* 











* I 



















( 






I 














BY 






PENTWATER, MICH. 
Published by L. M. Hartwick. 
1887 . 





















Copyright, 

L. M. HARTWICK, 
1887. 










PROHIBITION!* 

-o- 

The Doctor arose, ‘‘Yes, friends, I favor 
License for selling of rum. 

These fanatics tell us with horror 
Of the mischief liquor has done, 

/ say as a man and physician 
The system’s requirements are such 
That unless we, at times, assist nature 
Both body and mind suffer much. 

’Tis a blessing when worn out and weary— 
A moderate drink now and then.” 

From the minister back by the pulpit 
Comes an audible murmur, “Amen.” 


^Copyright by R. H. Thorpe, 1886. 






4 


PROHIBITION. 


“ ’Tis true that many have fallen, 

Become filthy drunkards and worse— 

Harmed others—no, I dont uphold them, 
They made their blessing a curse. 

Must I be denied for their sinning? 

Must the weak ones govern the race? 

Why! every good thing God has given 
Is a terror and curse, out of place, 

’Tis only excess that destroys us, 

A little is good now and then.” 

From the gray haired, pious old deacon 
Came a fervent, loud spoken “Amen?” 

A murmur arose from the people, 

From the lips of the listening throng. 

They came from their homes with a purpose 
To crush out, and trample out, wrong. 

But their time honored, worthy physician, 
Grown portly in person and purse, 

Had shown in the demon of darkness 
A blessing instead of a curse. 

And now they were eager, impatient 
To vote when the moment should come. 

They felt it their right and their duty, 

To license the selling of rum. 









PROHIBITION. 


Then up from a seat in the corner, 

From the midst of a murmuring throng; 
From among the people there gathered 
To crush out, and trample out wrong, 
'Rose a woman—her thin hands extended 
While out from the frost covered hair 
Gazed a face as if chiseled in marble; 

A face stamped with utter despair. 

The vast throng grew hushed in a moment, 
Grew silent with terror and dread. 

They gazed on the face of the woman 
As we gaze on the face of the dead. 

Then the hush and the silence was broken, 
And a voice so shrill and so clear 
Rang out through the room: “Look upon me 
You wonder what chance brought me here 
You know me, and now you shall hear me, 

I speak to you, lovers of wine, 

For once 1 was young, rich and happy, 
Home, husband and children were mine.” 


“Where are they? I ask you where are 
My beautiful home went to pay 
The deacon who sold them the poison 


they 4 . 






PROHIBITION. 


That dragged them down lower each day. 
I plead, I besought, I entreated; 

I showed them the path they were in. 

But the deacon said—they believed him, 
‘That only excess was a sin.’ ” 


“Where are they? I ask you where are they? 
False teacher of God’s holy word. 

My husband, my kind loving husband, 

Whom my tears and prayers would have 
stirred 

Remembered your teachings, turned from me, 
Me kneeling and pleading with him. 

‘A God given blessing’ you told him, 

‘And only excess was a sin.’ ” 

“And where are my boys? God forgive you, 
They heeded your counsels, not mine, 

You, doctor, beloved and respected, 

Could see no danger in wine 

For my boys, brave, tender and manly, 

How could I hope ever to win? 

W1 len the doctor said ‘ ’twas a blessing 
And only excess was a sin.’ ” 












PROHIBITION. 


i 


There were hands reached out for their ruin. 
Mine only were reached out to save. 

They lie side by side in your churchyard, 
Each filling a drunkard’s grave. 

I have come from the poorhouse to tell you 
My story, and now it is done. 

Go on if you will in yonr madness 
And license the selling of rum.” 


“Before the great judgment eternal, 

W1 len the last dread moment has come, 
They’ll stand there to witness against you, 
My dear ones, the victims of rum. 

W1 len tlie shadows of earth are lifted 
And life’s secret thoughts are laid bare, 
By the throne of the great Eternal 
/shall witness against you there.” 


Note:— This incident is true. When the wo¬ 
man had finished her pitiful story, the people, 
including the doctor, the minister and the dea¬ 
con, voted with one accord for prohibition. 






















CHRISTMAS BELLS. 


-o- 

Merry Christmas bells are ringing, 

And a bride with sunny hair 
Listens as the joyous music 
Pulsates all the wintry air. 

Sun-lit lies the path before her 
And her fond heart throbs and swells, 
For “These Christmas bells,” she whispers 
“Are my happy wedding bells.” 


Wine is sparkling in the glasses; 

Music thrills the frosty air; 

Light and warmth and wealth and beauty 
Hopeful dreams and true love there; 













CHRISTMAS BELLS. 


9 


Happy hearts make gladsome voices; 

Dancing feet keep merry time. 

Joyful wedding bells are sounding 
Through the clear toned Christmas chime. 

* -x- * * * 

Distant Christmas bells are ringing, 

And a mother worn with care, 

Listens as the happy echoes 
Of the bells, throb on the air. 

Through the snow she struggles onward 
While the echoes rise and swell. 

“Ah! these Christmas bells,” she murmurs, 
“Seem to toll my funeral knell.” 


“Wine has cursed my life,” she falters 
As her tired feet reach the door 
Of the home where she was wedded 
Only three short years before. 

Light and warmth and love and shelter 
For the babe upon her breast, 

But her own life-blood is frozen 
And the Christmas brings her rest. 











BROTHER, BEWARE! 

-o- 

Brightly it gleams in the cup, I know, 
Sparkles in glittering gems, blit oh! 
Hidden away from human eyes 
In its ruby heart a serpent lies. 
Thou canst not see it, but it is there, 

Brother, beware. 


A hut in a squalid, filthy street 
’Tis the drunkard’s home, the sot’s retreat 

i 

With broken windows and crumbling wall, 
Where the blight of sin hangs over all 
Like doom of death. Would y on not live there 

Then beware. 














BROTHER, BEWARE! 11 


Love, honor and wealth may all be thine 
Laurels of fame thy brows entwine, 

But, I know, the fatal cup hath power 
To banish all in a single hour, 

To stamp the brow and the heart with care. 

Brother, beware! 

There is a grave on the hillside lone, 

No flowers bloom there, no marble head¬ 
stone, 

A drunkard’s grave, and never a tear 
Is shed at his fate as year by year 

He sleeps forgotten. Would you not lie there? 

Then beware. 

O, sparkle of wine so dark, so bright, 
Thousands are cursing the cup to-night. 

For down in its crimson, foamy heart 
The monster lies with his poisoned dart. 

By a sister’s love, by a mother’s prayer, 

Brother, beware. 








THE DRINK FOR YOU AND ME. 
-o- 

The drink that comes from heaven 
Is the drink for yon and me. 

It flashes in the river, 

And it sparkles in the sea. 

It hangs its crystal jewels, 

Raindrop pearls upon the tree. 

The birds and blossoms drink it 
And why not you and me? 


The birds are never tipsy 
They drink the drink of God, 

And the pretty bright-faced gipsies, 
Flower children of the sod, 













THE DRINK FOR YOU AND ME. 


13 


In their caps of gold and scarlet 
Preach us sermons as we pass, 
Their wee brains are never muddled 
By the poison in the glass. 

Boys and girls the years are passing, 
Soon life’s battles will be ours. 

W e will kill the old ruin monarch 
With the drink of birds and dowers. 
For it flashes in the river 
And it sparkles in the sea, 

And the drink of birds and blossoms 
Is the drink for you and me. 












DRINKING ANNIE’S TEARS. 


-o- 

My treat, boys! Step up, I don’t care if I do, 
It’s many a time I’ve been treated by you. 

And boys, let me tell you, it’s many a time 
With you at the bar l have spent my last dime, 
And gone reeling home, but you’ve done the 
. same. 

We 1 )egun, I believe, with wine and champagne, 
Served in wafer-like glasses, light as the mist 
That rolls from the sea which the sun god has 
kissed. 

« 9 

We were then college students. Science and 
rhyme, 
















drinking annie’s tears. 15 


Art, music and Latin, slipped down with our 
wine, 

But stomach and brain got o’erloaded, and so 
We held to the drink and let all the rest go. 
Success we had painted in glowlight of pride, 
Ambition and wealth swept away by the tide, 
Love, social position and friends by the score, 
W e sacrificed all, but the demon craves more. 
W e give him each one of life’s blessings ’tis true, 
He asks for our souls and eternity, too. 


Stejj up, boys! It’s my treat, providing you’ll 
take 

The beverage I’ve chosen for old friendship’s 
sake. 

You wonder what mixture I’ve gotten up now? 

No mixed drinks for me, for I’m sure you’ll al¬ 
low 

I’ve mixed my drinks well, rum beer and cham¬ 
pagne; 

Strong drink to the stomach is death to the 
brain, 

And death to affection, deny it, who can? 

A drunkard has only the semblance of man, 







16 drinking annie’s tears. 


The form of his Maker, degraded, accurst, 

The vilest of vile things, and the worst. 

But sometimes that bit of God’s presence within 

Which clings to a fellow in spite of his sin, 

Will set him him to thinking. Well, sometimes 
you know, 

The angel within us has worried us so, 

We swore to reform. We did it last year, 

And we pledged to drink nothing stronger than 
beer. 

We made up in quantity, what it lacked in tire, 

And watched the last glow of true manhood ex¬ 
pire, 

In excuses, poor phantoms, pride’s tawdry 
hearse, 

Concealing not death, but humanity’s curse. 

We satisfied conscience; hushed whisperings of 
fear— 

* 

We three model temperance men, drinking our 
beer. 

***** 














drinking annie’s tears. 17 


Drinks for three, if you please! We’ll take the 
pure stuff; 

Of soul blighting mixtures we’ve had quite 
enough. 

Don’t scrimp the measure! Fill the glass to the 
brim 

With God’s sparkling sunlight and glory thrown 
in. 

Pure crystalized light from the vineyard above, 

Drink lit for the gods, from God’s wine press of 
love. 


What brought it about, this free lecture of 
mine? 

What stirred up the depths ot my soul against 
wine 

And wine’s variations? List, boys, while I tell: 
You know how you left me that night at the well, 
Blear-eyed and besotted with imbecile leer, 

A real model temperance man, pickled in beer. 

She met me, my guardian angel so fair; 

The night dews lay damp on her beautiful hair 




18 


drinking annie’s tears. 


The heart dews hung wet on her lashes, and lay 
On her thin, pallid cheek. Boys, you know the 
day 

She came to my home, wife and helpmate to be— 
The bonniest girl—and you both envied me. 


The bright pansy blue has gone out of her eyes. 
And her roses—0, how I loathe arid despise 
The wretch who could blight them. No words 
of complaint 

Or censure for me had my fair little saint. 

She steadied my uncertain footsteps, and led 
The wreck of my manhood in silence to bed. 


I called for a drink, as the demon of thirst, 

The demon whose presence my life has accurst, 
Raged within me. Annie obeyed my command, 
And brought me a drink with love’s unweary 
hand. 

As she passed it to me, one jewel tear fell 
And was lost in the drink she brought from the 
well! 

That tear sobered me, I’d seen them before, 









19 


drinking annie’s tears. 


But I swore, then and there, I’d drink them no 
more! 

I swore, that t lie rest of my life’s unspent years, 
I’d drink God’s pure water, but not Annie’s 
tears! 






A MOTHER AND CHILD. 

-o- 

My beautiful boy, thy wondering eyes 
Have stolen their blue from the summer skies, 
The sunbeams are no more bright or fair 
Than the crown of thy sunny golden hair. 

My heart is filled with a strange, wild joy 
As I hold thee close, my beautiful boy. 

But even now as I hold you here, 

Into my heart creeps a maddening fear. 

For over the green hills far away, 

W1 lerethe sunbeams fall and the shadows stray 
Beyond the church and its portals wide, 

My father and brother lie side by side. 





A MOTHER AND CHILD. 


21 


The curse of intemperance laid them low. 

It has stamped my life with a blighting woe. 

It has east o’er me its darkening pall 
For he who is dearest to me of all, 

Thy father, my boy, so kind and true, 

Ls treading that downward pathway too. 

And thoii, oh! my precious little son, 

The pride of my heart, and my only one, 

Will the fiend, intemperance, cast o’er thee 
His withering, blighting curse? Ah, me! 

Shall I ever live to see the day 

That thou wilt be treading that downward way? 


Fain would I bind thee with love’s strong bands 
I would hold thee back with my heart and hands, 
But love is helpless. I can but'take 
My plea to the Father. For Jesus’ sake 
He will guard my boy through years to come. 
He will keep thee safe from the curse of rum. 











A TEMPERANCE PLEDGE. 

-o- 

Wide is the road that leads to crime; 

But there’s a road still wider, 

That leads to deeper depths of sin 
And starts with wine and cider. 

Then come and join our temperance band, 
Come every son and daughter, 

And sing ’mid anthems of our land, 

The praises of cold water. 

We’ll boldly fight against the wrong. 

We pledge ourselves together 
To save the fallen when we can, 

And drink no wine forever. 



























_ 




































v 6 1701 IL2 210 0 

ssaaoNOD do Aawaain 





























































